My Lake Mitchell Heroes
​by Bo Warren

​My Heroes growing up were Water Skiers. 
Three events … Slalom. Tricks. Jump. 
 
Barefooting competition, kite flying competitions, show skiing competitions, ski racing…. These were all outside the main show . 
 
Jumping on Lake Mitchell was led by Graham Esdale and Chris Speaks. Billy DiGiorgio and myself were going for the older divisions. The Ainsworths on western wood skis were trying . Gordon and Tommy Robbins, Mike Smith, Bill and Mike McCay, Bill Randle, Jimmy McCormick, Sibley Reynolds, Scotty and Donnie Williams and others hit the ramp at times .
 
Trick skiing probably took more skill than the other events. Sibley Reynolds and Rusty Nail were the two trick skiers to beat on Mitchell . I have seen a photo of of Sibley doing toe tricks … amazing!  Scott and Drew Zuelzke also ran tricks. Jimmy Gober was a hard charger also.
 
Slalom had a lot of competitors . The Slalom course really let you know who the Big Dogs were …. Anything past 28 feet off the rope at tournament speeds and you were getting into an elite club . The best I ran in a tournament was 38 off.  We had a lot of Slalom Skiers on Mitchell - Speaks, Reynolds, Williams, DiGiorgio, Randles, Bucks, McCay ,Smith.  Skeeter Zuelzke was super smooth on a Little Monster.  McCormick, Holcomb, Zuelzke, Moore, Wilkerson and OBrien all were Slalom skiers .
 
Barefooting was a unique group …. Jimmy McCormick shed his skis first; then me, and then Gordon Robbins, Graham Esdale and others. The Group of Nude Dude Barefoot Skiers under a full moon is the stuff of legends!
 
Three Event competition has gone away from the spotlight.  
 
Kneeboarding, Surfing, and Tubing, in my opinion are not serious sports.  It’s like comparing Putt Putt golf to the PGA.  

​Wake Boarding is somewhat of a true sport - a little more challenging than Putt Putt.
 
I was a Water Skier and will always be.  May these great People never be forgotten! 
 
The Women of Mitchell will be remembered in a later rant!